After working a long shift, you’re going to want to put up your feet and relax in a comfortable atmosphere. Luckily, there are several ways you can find the perfect travel nurse housing for yourself, instead of the agency. When looking for housing, you should write out a list of must-have features, such as your desired distance from the hospitals or facility you’re working at, working utilities, amenities you need (laundry on-site, a dishwasher, etc.), how much space you want, and whatever else you consider to be necessary for your living space. After you curate a list, you can turn to these methods of searching to find housing that checks off all of your must-haves:
AirBnB
AirBnB is a great option for travelers and housing, especially for a shorter-term placement. The website is easy to navigate, allowing a user to select a city (worldwide!), designate price range, view photos of the unit, and more. Their search tool is extremely customizable. It includes options to narrow down specifics, such as property type, extra amenities like a full kitchen, wifi, parking, and more. You can also choose to rent a full unit, like an entire house, or just a solo room. Additionally, for travel nurses looking for even more adventure on top of their traveling, more recreational-oriented stays and properties are available from bungalows to tiny houses.
Craigslist
Craigslist is one of the most common search engines to find housing. There are plenty of gems posted by users, including long term rentals, short term sublets, and singular rooms for rent. Craigslist is worldwide and you can narrow your search down by city. There is an interactive map which shows which neighborhood the listing appears, usually on the street that the unit is on, so you can get a broad overview of where the unit is in relation to other places in the city. This makes it easier to see how far your rental will be from the hospitals or facility you’re working at or the distance from places you frequent. There is also a list view if you prefer to view your options in that format.
HotPads
HotPads is geared towards those looking for a more straightforward rental. Although it’s mostly used to find apartments, more traditional homes are also available. On their website, there are a ton of unique, helpful tools, such as a commute time calculator. HotPads was created by three college students looking for housing themselves, so you know it’s focused on making things as easy for its users as possible.
Furnished Finder
Furnished Finder is a very common search tool for travel nurses and medical staffing companies. Furnished Finder is made specifically for traveling professionals, and excludes those who are looking to vacation. If you don’t want to manually search yourself, you can simply submit a housing request with your living space must-haves. Furnished Finder will alert property owners that fit in your criteria and directly connect you. Fostering good communications between property owners and travelers is something that this company aims for. As an added benefit, Furnished Finders has a Resources tab that provides a significant amount of information, like how to stay safe and avoid scams while searching.
Overall tips and tricks to finding housing
- If you’re worried about money, fees or the cost of moving, keep in mind that Stability Healthcare provides up to $600 in travel reimbursements for your travel nurse assignment. Additionally, if you find your own housing, you may be eligible for a lodging subsidy.
- Stay safe and trust your gut. Most often, your instincts will be right. If a unit seems too good to be true, it’s best to look at other housing options. If you are able to check out the unit before moving in, view the unit with a friend or partner. Never meet with a stranger alone.
- Don’t forget about hotels! Some hotels offer discounts for those who are staying for an extended period of time (like travel nurses). Most hotels have wifi, restaurants, a room-keeping service, etc. They also tend to be more flexible if something comes up and you have to cancel your stay.
- Check to see if the unit comes furnished or not. If you would prefer furnished housing to skip the heavy lifting, see which units come fully furnished.
- If you are able to, check out the neighborhood before moving in. Does it seem safe? Is the street quiet? Is there night-life nearby that you’d like to join in on? Not only is your actual unit important, but the atmosphere of the location is also extremely important. If you can’t physically go check out the neighborhood, check online to see feedback from those who have lived there or who are currently living there.
- Ask other travel nurses. The best way to get reliable information is from people who are currently working in your position. If you’re able to, ask them for advice or recommendations.
Making Your Temporary Housing Feel More Like Home
As a travel nurse, you’re used to being on the road. While everyone goes about it a little differently when it comes to moving and packing, there is one thing that most travel nurses have in common: you have to pack light. You may have seen our tips for finding housing or how to pack, but with the cold months approaching we want to talk about feeling cozy and comfortable in your temporary housing.
Making your temporary housing feel cozy is so important, especially in the midst of a pandemic when we’re spending a lot of time at home. Home should be a place where you feel most comfortable. With these simple tips, you’ll be snuggling up in a homey environment in no time.
Plants
Who can deny that a plant suddenly transforms a space. They naturally filter air pollutants, they’re calming, stress-relieving, and overall provide a wonderful mood boost. Plants can absorb harmful gases through the pores in their leaves, filtering the air in your room. Keep an eye on our blog later this month for a guide to which plants are the best, but for now to keep it simple here are some of the easiest plants to keep alive while traveling from place to place: succulents, snake plant, and aloe vera.
Blankets
As children, everyone had their favorite blanky. It brought comfort, safety, and familiarity. It doesn’t hurt adults to have a favorite blanket that you keep with you to snuggle up with. A nice blanket, whether it be a fun fleece print that you love, something your grandma handknitted for you, or just something so soft you can’t resist, is a guaranteed way to cozy up a space and make it feel more like home.
Candles
Did you know candles can increase focus, improve your mood, and even help you remember positive memories? Finding a scent that is familiar and reminds you of home is the perfect way to transform any sort of temporary housing you may be staying in into your home. Plus, there’s no better way to set the mood for an evening of relaxation after a long shift.
Photos
We can’t forget photos! Nothing beats a photo of a pleasant memory to boost your mood. Print up a handful of your most favorite moments that have been captured and bring them with you on all of your placements. You can hang them on a wall, spread them out on a dresser, or even just have them sitting in a stack on your bed side table. These physical momentos will bring you joy when you need it most.
Art
While some people may find it a bit extreme to travel with art, it can actually be the key to transforming a space. Find one or two pieces of art that you love – a print by your favorite illustrator, an old movie poster you found at a flea market, something that used to hang in your childhood home. When you go from place to place, find a new spot for your art and it will feel right at home and provide a sense of consistency and familiarity.
Ready to embark on your next adventure? Visit Stability Healthcare to book a travel nursing placement today!
Stability Healthcare is an industry leader in travel nursing. If you’re looking for more resources, read more on our blog. You’ll find everything from Tips for Surviving the Night Shift to How to Navigate Health Insurance.
